That’s all for today’s Covid blog and thanks for joining us.
Please follow along for the latest developments on our latest live blog here.
Summary
Here is a snapshot of the latest Covid developments:
- The WHO says the Omicron variant is more transmissible than the Delta strain and reduces vaccine efficacy but causes less severe symptoms according to early data.
- British prime minister Boris Johnson launched an “Omicron emergency booster national mission” to protect the NHS and patients, ramping up vaccinations and rolling out 1m booster jabs a day.
- The UK recorded 48,854 new Covid cases and 52 additional deaths, raising the Covid alert level from 3 to 4.
- The UK also confirmed an additional 1,239 Omicron cases, marking the biggest daily rise to date with the total number of confirmed cases 3,137.
- America’s top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, said that Omicron “clearly has a transmission advantage” over previous Covid strains and stepped up calls for Americans to get booster shots as the new variant spread to at least 25 states.
- Austria has ended lockdown restrictions for vaccinated people across most of the country, three weeks after it was imposed. However, more than 25,000 demonstrators turned out in several cities to protest against the country’s compulsory vaccination plan, forcing citizens to be jabbed or face fines from February.
- Vaccinated people who are identified as a contact of somebody who has tested positive for Covid-19 should take an NHS rapid lateral flow test every day for a week, the UK government announced.
- Russia’s registered Covid cases passed the 10 million mark today, after nearly 30,000 cases were reported in the last 24 hours.
- Scotland aims to offer booster jabs to all eligible adults by the end of the year.
The US government’s leading infectious diseases official, Anthony Fauci, has stepped up calls for Americans to get a Covid-19 booster shot, as the US approaches 800,000 lives lost to coronavirus since the start of the pandemic.
Fauci warned that the Omicron variant appeared to be able to “evade” the protection of two initial doses of the mRNA-type Covid vaccines – Pfizer/BioNTech’s and Moderna’s – as well as post-infection therapies such as monoclonal antibodies and convalescent plasma.
Omicron is spurring new fears as US infections begin to surge again, with infections currently still led by the highly-transmissable Delta variant that has dominated since the summer.
Fauci said an extra vaccine shot provides “optimal” protection against Omicron, even though the government’s official designation of “fully vaccinated” remained at two doses of Pfizer or Moderna, or one of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine, which was developed by another method.
Read the full story here.
Hello it’s Samantha Lock here taking over from my colleague Jedidajah Otte.
As I’m reporting to you from Sydney, here are some Covid stats out of Australia.
The state of Victoria recorded 1,290 new Covid cases and two deaths, while NSW recorded 536 new Covid-19 cases and no deaths over the past 24 hours.
After two years of border closures, the WA premier, Mark McGowan, is today due to announce when the state’s borders will reopen to domestic and international travellers, after reaching the 80% vaccination milestone at the weekend.
And “tens of thousands” of people are expected to cross into Queensland after its borders reopen at 1am on Monday. It will be the first time in 229 days people will not need to quarantine on arrival, provided they are fully vaccinated.
A person in New South Wales has been admitted to hospital infected with the Omicron variant of Covid-19, the first Omicron patient to be hospitalised since it arrived in Australia last month.
Updated
The NHS is facing a “huge” challenge in its fight against Omicron, NHS Providers said.
The organisation for the NHS hospital, mental health, community and ambulance services said the announcement on Sunday that the target to get every UK adult vaccinated has been brought forward by a month is a “critical moment”.
It added that the NHS needs public support “now as much as ever” as the health service is “already under enormous pressure”.
An NHS Providers spokesperson said:
It is important that the prime minister recognises that this is an emergency. The threat from Omicron is becoming clearer, but there is an opportunity - through an accelerated booster campaign - to contain its impact.
The NHS is already under enormous pressure, and scaling up in this way will be a huge challenge. But we have seen over the last 18 months, when it’s been tested as never before, how resilient and resourceful the health service and its staff can be.
They added that “we will need to reprioritise” as the NHS is “already beyond full stretch”.
The spokesperson said:
As more hospital staff become involved in the vaccination campaign this is likely to impact on planned care, causing some additional delays. Patients will be prioritised according to clinical need, but trust leaders are only too aware of the impact of these difficult decisions.
Macmillan Cancer Support reacted to the news that other NHS services may be delayed and said “the government also must not fail to ensure NHS cancer services are prioritised and protected this winter to ensure that nobody faces long waits and disruption in vital cancer care”.
Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said the NHS will do “everything it can to get even more vaccines into people’s arms so that the public has the maximum possible level of protection” but “while the NHS will remain open for business, this enhanced focus on vaccinations could lead to disruption elsewhere in the service”.
Taylor added:
There are significant vacancies across the NHS, frontline staff are exhausted, and they are working in a very pressured environment. They expect continued honesty and ongoing support from the government, as well as for all parliamentarians to make sure the new interventions pass next week given how tough winter is expecting to be and the devastating impact coronavirus can have on people’s lives.
The public also has a vital role to play in how they go about their daily lives and use local health services.
Here some more detail from AFP on the news that South African president Cyril Ramaphosa has tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday:
Ramaphosa, who is fully vaccinated, began feeling unwell after leaving a state memorial service for former deputy president F W de Klerk in Cape Town earlier in the day but was in good spirits and being monitored by doctors, [the presidency] said. [...]
On a recent visit to four West African states, the president and the entire South African delegation were tested for Covid-19 in all countries, the statement said.
The president and the delegation returned to South Africa from the Republic of Senegal on Wednesday, 8 December 2021, after obtaining negative test results.
The president also tested negative on his return to Johannesburg on 8 December.
The statement quoted Ramaphosa as saying that his own infection served as a warning to all citizens of the importance of getting vaccinated and remaining vigilant against exposure.
“Vaccination remains the best protection against severe illness and hospitalisation,” the statement said.
“People who have had contact with the president today are advised to watch for symptoms or to have themselves tested,” it added.
Cases of coronavirus in Africa nearly doubled over a week as Omicron spread, but hospitalisations in South Africa remain low, the UN added on Thursday.
In a weekly online press briefing, the World Health Organization’s Africa branch said the continent had recorded 107,000 extra cases in the week to last Sunday, compared with 55,000 in the previous week.
Omicron “is reaching more countries in Africa”, it said, adding that research was being stepped up to see whether the new variant was specifically behind the sharp rise.
The biggest surge in numbers - 140 percent on average - was in the south of the continent.
On Sunday, South Africa logged 37,875 daily new infections, data from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases showed - the highest daily tally yet, exceeding the previous record of 26,485 set during the peak of the third wave in July, Bloomberg reports.
This from the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg on Boris Johnson’s announcements tonight:
But..
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) December 12, 2021
-Johnson doesn't announce any new restrictions, even tho he says on current trend NHS could be overwhelmed, which was original reason for lockdown
-PM has huge problems with party + credibility has been hammered in recent weeks
-Vaccinated population v different to 2020
Interesting in both Drakeford and Sturgeon statements tonight, they hint at tightening restrictions further, on top of accelerating their booster programmes too
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) December 12, 2021
Updated
The public should put aside their “justifiable anger” about recent rule-breaking allegations surrounding Downing Street and Boris Johnson and get their booster vaccination, the Labour MP Wes Streeting has urged.
The shadow health secretary told broadcasters:
We know that the vaccine and the booster in particular is the most powerful tool we have in our fight against Covid-19, and against this variant in particular.
We’ve warned the government they hadn’t been doing enough to get the booster rollout under way.
And so tonight’s announcement is one that we can very much get behind. This has got to be a big national effort.
All of us have got a part to play and it’s crucial that, despite people’s justifiable anger and frustration with the Prime Minister, we put that to one side in the effort to get the vaccine booster rolled out and to make it a success.
Streeting, who had previously called for all adults to be allowed to book their jabs before Johnson’s announced acceleration, said he is booked in to get his top-up jab on Thursday.
He stressed that the NHS would need to be achieving one million boosters a day in order to achieve the new year target.
Professor Christina Pagel, of University College London, welcomed prime minister Boris Johnson’s announcement of an “emergency booster national mission”, but voiced doubts about whether this would prevent further restrictions before Christmas.
“Boosting all adults by the end of the month is really important. We do know that two doses is just not enough,” she said.
However, she said that some current policies appeared contradictory, including allowing vaccinated people to take lateral flow tests instead of isolating after contact with a Covid case.
She said:
Don’t go to work but go to parties. Get a booster, but it’s fine not to isolate if you’re vaccinated. It’s not consistent.
This idea that kids can go to school if someone in their house has Covid is just stupid. We should be saying no parties, no gatherings bigger than ten people, say. We need to think about moving back down the roadmap and restricting contact.
I expect whatever they announce today they’ll announce more in a few days. I don’t necessarily have a problem with that. I just don’t think they can say ‘this is it’ until Christmas when things are so uncertain.
Paul Hunter, professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia, said that delivering boosters to all adults in the UK would be a huge challenge, but if achieved it would be the most effective means to reduce severe disease and pressure on the NHS.
Hunter said:
We now know that two doses are not that effective or not at all effective at preventing infection from omicron, but we still don’t know how effective the two dose vaccine will be at preventing severe disease from omicron.
It is not a forlorn hope that two doses will fare better against severe disease from omicron than they do against infection. But it is a pretty safe conclusion that the booster will be even more effective against severe disease than against infection. If we achieve this target then this will go a huge way towards helping the UK and the NHS get through the expected wave of Omicron in January intact.
Adam Finn, professor of paediatrics at the University of Bristol and a member of JCVI, said that the ambition to offer boosters to all adults “makes sense if it’s achievable”.
He said:
It’s not really my place to pronounce on what regulations should be put in place, that’s really for the politicians. But I’d strongly encourage people to do everything they can to minimise transmission while we get the booster programme done.
The leader of the British Labour party, Sir Keir Starmer, said the government had Labour’s support to accelerate the booster programme, as he urged the public to “protect our families, friends and the NHS” by getting a top-up jab amid fears over the Omicron variant.
Starmer said:
The arrival of the worrying new variant is a reminder that the pandemic is not over. And vaccines are the best weapon in our fight.
The vaccine is safe and effective. It protects us and those around us. We will always support the NHS and act in the public interest.
Therefore the government has our support in the effort to accelerate the booster programme. It’s also vital that we use the Christmas holidays to get the vaccine out to eligible children.
I urge everyone to get boosted as soon as you can - and if you haven’t had your first or second jab yet, now is the time to come forward.
We have come so far since those darkest of days at the start of the pandemic.
So much has been asked of the British people, and time and again you have risen to the challenge. So let’s keep our foot on the pedal and get Britain boosted to protect our families, friends and NHS.
Scotland aims to offer booster jabs to all eligible adults by the end of the year, but more Covid-19 restrictions may still be needed to combat Omicron, Nicola Sturgeon has said.
In a statement following prime minister Boris Johnson’s address to the nation, Scotland’s first minister said urgent work is under way to “further accelerate rollout of the booster vaccination programme in Scotland”, PA reports.
She said her government’s aim is to offer a “booster jag appointment to all eligible adults by the end of this year if possible”, with 30-39 year olds able to book from 10am on Monday and 18-29 year olds from later in the week.
Sturgeon added:
Given the expected volume of cases in the weeks ahead, however, it is also possible that further, proportionate protective measures or advice will be necessary.
This is true even if Omicron proves to be slightly less severe than Delta.
The number of cases will still put significant pressure on the NHS and the economy. The government will therefore consider the latest data tomorrow ahead of a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday and I will set out any decisions to parliament later that day.
The NHS website to book booster jabs has been experiencing technical difficulties, shortly after British prime minister Boris Johnson’s televised address, in which he urged eligible people to “get boosted now”.
A statement on the website said: “The NHS website is currently experiencing technical difficulties. We are working to resolve these issues. Thank you for your patience.”
South African president Cyril Ramaphosa has tested positive for Covid-19
South African president Cyril Ramaphosa tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday, but was showing mild symptoms, the presidency said.
“The President started feeling unwell after leaving the State Memorial Service in honour of former Deputy President FW de Klerk in Cape Town earlier today,” the statement said.
“The President, who is fully vaccinated, is in self-isolation in Cape Town and has delegated all responsibilities to Deputy President David Mabuza for the next week,” it added.
My colleagues Jessica Elgot, Aubrey Allegretti and Haroon Siddique have a story on Boris Johnson’s gamble on an unprecedented ramping up of vaccinations, rolling out 1m booster jabs a day to stem an incoming “tidal wave of Omicron” and avoid imposing further restrictions.
The government will support the NHS in this emergency booster rollout by “deploying 42 military planning teams across every health region, standing up additional vaccine sites and mobile units, extending opening hours so clinics are open seven days a week with more appointments early in the morning, in the evening and at weekends, and training 1000s more volunteer vaccinators”, Johnson said.
Further steps will be set out in the days ahead, he added.
On Covid restrictions, the prime minister said:
It’s because of the threat from Omicron that I announced on Wednesday that we will move to Plan B in England. You must wear a face covering in indoor public spaces from tomorrow.
Work from home if you can. And from Wednesday, subject to a vote in parliament, you will need to show a negative lateral flow test to get into nightclubs and some large events if you’re not double vaccinated.
In a final plea, Johnson added:
These measures will help slow the spread of Omicron but we must go further and get boosted now.
If you haven’t yet had the vaccine at all, then please get yourself at least some protection with a jab as quickly as possible.
If you’ve already had your booster, encourage your friends and family to do the same. We’re a great country. We have the vaccines to protect our people. So, let’s do it. Let’s get boosted now, get boosted now for yourself, for your friends and your family, get boosted now to protect jobs and livelihoods across this country, get boosted now to protect our NHS, our freedoms and our way of life. Get boosted now. Thank you.
Johnson launches "Omicron emergency booster national mission" to protect NHS and patients
Boris Johnson has announced that every person aged 18 and over in England will be able to get the booster jab before the New Year.
At this point, Johnson said, the country’s scientists cannot say whether the Omicron variant is less severe than previous ones.
He said:
And even if that proved to be true, we already know it is so much more transmissible that a wave of Omicron through a population that was not boosted would risk a level of hospitalisation that could overwhelm our NHS and lead, sadly, to very many deaths.
So we must act now. Today, we’re launching the Omicron emergency booster national mission, unlike anything we’ve done before in the vaccination programme.
[...] A fortnight ago I said we would offer every eligible adult a booster by the end of January. Today, in light of this Omicron emergency, I’m bringing that target forward by a whole month.
Everyone eligible aged 18 and over in England will have a chance to get the booster before the New Year. And we’ve spoken today to the devolved administrations to confirm the UK government will provide additional support to accelerate vaccinations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. To hit the pace we need, we’ll need to match the NHS’s best vaccination day so far, and then beat that day after day.
This will require an extraordinary effort. And as we focus on boosters and make this new target achievable, it will mean some other appointments will need to be postponed until the new year. But if we don’t do this now, the wave of Omicron could be so big that cancellations and disruptions like the loss of cancer appointments would be even greater next year.
And I know the pressures on everyone in our NHS, from our GPS doctors, nurses to our porters, all of whom have worked incredibly hard and I thank you, I thank them, for all the amazing work that they’ve done. But I say directly to those of you on the frontline:
I must ask you to make another extraordinary effort now. So we can protect you and your colleagues and above all, protect your patients from even greater pressures next year.
From Monday, he said, every adult in England who has had a second dose of the vaccine at least three months ago will be eligible for a booster jab.
“The NHS booking system will be open for these younger age groups from Wednesday. And that’s the best way to guarantee your slot. But in some places you can walk in from tomorrow,” Johnson added.
Updated
Johnson tells public to 'get boosted now'
Boris Johnson has urged Britons to “get boosted now” and protect the NHS, and warned the population to not underestimate the dangers of the new Omicron variant.
Johnson said the UK’s four chief medical officers had raised the Covid threat level to its second highest level “because of the evidence that Omicron is doubling here in the UK every two to three days.”
Johnson said:
I need to speak to you this evening, because I am afraid we are now facing an emergency in our battle with the new variant, Omicron, and we must urgently reinforce our wall of vaccine protection to keep our friends and loved ones safe.
[...]
We know from bitter experience how these exponential curves develop. No one should be in any doubt. There is a tidal wave of Omicron coming, and I’m afraid it is now clear that two doses of vaccine are simply not enough to give a good level of protection. But the good news is that our scientists are confident that with a third dose, a booster dose, we can all bring our level of protection back up.
“I know there will be some people watching who will be asking whether Omicron is less severe than previous variants, and whether we really need to go out and get that booster. And the answer is yes, we do.
Do not make the mistake of thinking Omicron can’t hurt you. It can make you and your loved ones seriously ill. We’ve already seen hospitalisations doubling in a week in South Africa. And we have patients with Omicron in hospital here in the UK right now.
Updated
A pre-recorded address to the nation by British prime minister Boris Johnson is expected to begin at 8pm GMT.
People have demonstrated in several German cities against the country’s Covid measures this weekend, with protesters clashing with police.
14 police officers were injured in protests in Greiz, Thuringia, where up to 1000 people gathered there on Saturday, the police said on Sunday. Police used pepper spray on protesters trying to break a police chain, the German press agency dpa reported.
Around 1,500 people took part in a rally in Reutlingen, Baden-Württemberg on Saturday and marched “For freedom, truth and self-determination”.
Requests to wear a mask were ignored, police said. As a result, the rally was dissolved. When police tried to stop one breakaway group, police said that participants violently broke the officers’ chain and used pepper spray and batons.
According to the police, two police officers were slightly injured on Sunday morning during a small rally in Bennewitz near Leipzig.
Almost 100 people took part in an illegal demonstration in Frankfurt, Hesse on Saturday, which was disbanded by police.
The police also stopped an unregistered protest march of the “lateral thinkers” movement against Covid measures with 550 people at times in Hamm, North Rhine-Westphalia.
Scotland to roll out booster jabs to people aged 30-39 from next week
Coronavirus booster vaccines are to be made available to people aged 30-39 in Scotland from Monday and to 18-29-year-olds from later in the week, health secretary Humza Yousaf has said.
Writing on Twitter, Yousaf said:
From tomorrow (Mon 13th) you can book your Booster if you’re aged 30-39.
We intend on opening portal to 18-29yr olds later in the week, details to follow.
We know just how important a tool vaccination, and in particular the Booster is in our fight against the virus.
A reminder, to be eligible 12 weeks must have elapsed between your 2nd dose and Booster.
The move follows UK government’s decision to make booster doses available to people aged 30-39 in England.
Wales 'likely' to ramp up Covid restrictions due to Omicron 'tsunami'
New Covid restrictions are “likely” to be introduced in Wales as the country faces an impending “tsunami” from the Omicron variant, the health minister has said.
Eluned Morgan said the Welsh government wanted “to act proportionately” as there were only around 15 cases of the new strain but that was likely to “change very quickly in a very short space of time”.
Morgan told BBC Politics Wales:
We’ve got over 500 cases per 100,000 which means that Delta is still alive and well within our communities.
At the same time as we’re facing this likely tsunami that is going to hit us fairly soon.
Morgan said that “no decisions” had been made yet on what future restrictions could look like.
Future restrictions would be measured against the health, social and economic impact but Morgan said it would be “much more difficult” if there was no furlough scheme.
Morgan said the Welsh government wanted to “act proportionately” and would not impose new measures “unless they are necessary”.
She said:
I think if we’re honest, that is likely to change in the next few weeks. But we are still learning about this new variant.
The last thing we want to do is to impose the kind of restrictions that we saw last Christmas unless we absolutely have to.
We know that last Christmas was really disappointing for so many people. That’s not where we want to be, but we will always act in the best interests of the people of Wales.
In last Friday’s three-week review, First Minister Mark Drakeford announced reviews would now take place weekly due to the threat posed by the Omicron variant.
Morgan told the programme it was “very commendable” that health boards had been urging people not to attend Christmas parties to limit the pressure on the NHS but stressed that the Welsh government was not yet officially advising people to cancel plans and urging people to take lateral flow tests before going out instead.
“I think there will come a point where that may be likely to happen,” she said.
She also urged people to get their booster jab as two doses of the vaccine “simply won’t cut it” with the Omicron variant.
She said:
We’re ramping up the programme as quickly as we possibly can and we’ve got an army of helpers to roll it out.
I would appeal to the Welsh public to step forward when they’re called. We cannot afford to wait, the wave is coming towards us and it’s coming towards us at a very, very fast rate.
Israel adds UK, Denmark and Belgium to its travel "red list"
Israel on Sunday announced it was adding the UK, Denmark and Belgium to its “red” list of countries that Israelis are forbidden to visit, citing concern over the spread of the Omicron variant.
The travel restrictions for the three countries will go into effect on Wednesday, a senior Israeli health official told a news conference.
Israel has already declared around 50 countries, mainly in Africa, as “red” since the discovery of the Omicron variant, and has already banned the entry of foreigners to try to stem infection rates, Reuters reports.
Israeli health officials said there have been 55 confirmed cases of Omicron infection in Israel, which has been trying to accelerate its vaccination programme while weighing stricter enforcement of mask mandates.
Boris Johnson to make televised Covid address at 8pm GMT
UK prime minister Boris Johnson is to address the nation at 8pm GMT on Covid booster vaccines, amid growing concern about the highly-infectious Omicron variant.
Johnson is not expected to announce any new Covid restrictions.
My colleague Aubrey Allegretti has more.
UK raises Covid alert level from 3 to 4
The UK Covid Alert Level has been increased from Level 3 to Level 4 “in light of the rapid increase in Omicron cases”, the four UK chief medical officers have said in a joint statement.
Level 4 means “transmission is high and direct Covid-19 pressure on healthcare services is widespread and substantial or rising.”
In the statement, the four UK chief medical officers and the NHS England national medical director said the emergence of Omicron “adds additional and rapidly increasing risk to the public and healthcare services”.
The statement said:
Early evidence shows that Omicron is spreading much faster than Delta and that vaccine protection against symptomatic disease from Omicron is reduced.
Data on severity will become clearer over the coming weeks but hospitalisations from Omicron are already occurring and these are likely to increase rapidly.
The NHS is currently under pressure mainly driven by non-Covid pressures. With a variant spreading with increased transmissibility and reduced vaccine effectiveness, we are likely to see this pressure rise soon. It is extremely important that if you are eligible, you get your Covid vaccination now - whether this be your first, second or booster dose.
People should continue take sensible precautions including ventilating rooms, using face coverings, testing regularly and isolating when symptomatic.
Updated
Italy reported 66 coronavirus-related deaths on Sunday, compared with 96 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections fell to 19,215 from 21,042.
A week ago, the country had reported 43 deaths from the virus, and 15,010 fresh cases.
Italy’s infections have been increasing steadily since mid-October, and has recently seen an increase in the number of first vaccine doses administered.
On Monday, the country introduced tighter restrictions on the unvaccinated in the form of a “super green pass”, which will stay in place until at least 15 January.
Here's a summary of the latest developments...
- The UK recorded 48,854 new Covid cases today and 52 additional deaths. In the last week, 360,480 cases were confirmed, marking an 11.9% increase on the previous seven days. There were 834 deaths in the last week, an increase of 0.5%.
- The UK has confirmed an additional 1,239 Omicron cases, marking the biggest daily rise to date. The new figures, published by the UK Health Security Agency, brings the total number of confirmed Omicron cases in the UK to 3,137.
- Nigeria is to ban flights from the UK, Argentina, Canada and Saudi Arabia in response to being added to red lists in those countries due to Omicron. The country’s aviation minister, Hadi Sirika, said today said he had recommended that the four countries be placed on Nigeria’s red list to ban flights.
- America’s top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, said that Omicron “clearly has a transmission advantage” over previous Covid strains as the new variant spread to at least half of US states. It comes as Omicron has spread to at least 25 states as the US approaches 800,000 Covid-related deaths.
- Austria has ended lockdown restrictions for vaccinated people across most of the country, three weeks after it was imposed. Rules vary by region but generally the change means theatres, museums and other cultural and entertainment venues will be allowed to reopen today and shops will follow tomorrow.
- Vaccinated people who are identified as a contact of somebody who has tested positive for Covid-19 should take an NHS rapid lateral flow test every day for a week, the UK government announced today. The new guidance, which starts on Tuesday, aims to identify asymptomatic cases among the vaccinated without forcing them to isolate.
- NHS doctors working on the pandemic frontline are furious at being treated as “Covid cannon fodder” rather than heroes, according to new research. In a first of its kind study, researchers from the universities of Bath and Bristol, UWE and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine collected the views of more than 1,300 doctors in the UK and Ireland since early 2020.
- Russia’s registered Covid cases passed the 10 million mark today, after nearly 30,000 cases were reported in the last 24 hours. It comes as Russia recorded 29,929 new cases today - its lowest single-day case total since 13 October - bringing the official total since the start of the pandemic to 10,016,896.
- Dr Susan Hopkins, the chief medical adviser for the UK Health Security Agency has said that the UK is facing an “inevitable” large wave of infections caused by Omicron, with more Covid measures likely to be needed. She also warned that “very difficult” decisions lie ahead for the government and that more Covid measures may be needed.
- Labour leader Keir Starmer claims UK prime minister Boris Johnson is “unfit for office” and has breached public trust. He told the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show that that the prime minister’s alleged actions have “broken” trust which will result in many people deciding to stop follow coronavirus rules. He also said that Johnson appeared to have broken the law with an alleged Christmas quiz and that he must have known there were other groups taking part in other rooms.
- Nadhim Zahawi, the UK education secretary and former vaccines minister, has defended allegations against Boris Johnson that he breached Covid rules to hold a Christmas quiz last year - insisting it was “virtual” and dismissing criticism about parties as “hype”. Zahawi told Trevor Phillips on Sunday on Sky News that the picture shows a “prime minister on a virtual quiz night for 10-15 minutes to thank his staff” who he said had no choice but to come into work.
That’s it from me for today. Handing over to my colleague Jedidajah Otte. Thanks for reading.
UK records 48,854 new Covid cases and 52 additional deaths
The UK recorded 48,854 new Covid cases today and 52 additional deaths.
In the last week, 360,480 cases were confirmed, marking an 11.9% increase on the previous seven days. There were 834 deaths in the last week, an increase of 0.5%.
Yesterday the UK recorded 54,073 cases and 132 deaths.
UK confirms additional 1,239 Omicron cases, marking biggest daily rise to date
The UK has confirmed an additional 1,239 Omicron cases, marking the biggest daily rise to date.
The new figures, published by the UK Health Security Agency, brings the total number of confirmed Omicron cases in the UK to 3,137.
Of the new cases, 1,196 were in England, 28 in Scotland, 5 in Northern Ireland and 0 in Wales.
#OmicronVariant latest information
— UK Health Security Agency (@UKHSA) December 12, 2021
1239 additional confirmed cases of the #Omicron variant of #COVID19 have been reported across the UK.
The total number of confirmed COVID-19 Omicron cases in the UK is 3137. pic.twitter.com/vQFep3RiVe
Updated
Nigeria bans flights from the UK, Argentina, Canada and Saudi Arabia
Nigeria is to ban flights from the UK, Argentina, Canada and Saudi Arabia in response to being added to red lists in those countries due to Omicron.
The country’s aviation minister, Hadi Sirika, said today said he had recommended that the four countries be placed on Nigeria’s red list to ban flights.
“We have given our input as aviation that it is not acceptable by us and we recommend that those countries, Canada, UK, Saudi Arabia and Argentina be also put on red list, just like they did similarly to us,” he said.
“So, I am very sure between now and Monday or perhaps Tuesday maximum, all those countries will be put on the red list. Once they are on the red list, which means they are banned, their airlines will also be banned.”
More from top US infectious disease expert, Dr Fauci (see also 15:06), who says that three doses of a Covid-19 vaccine is “optimal care”.
“For official requirements, it’s still two shots of the mRNA [Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna] and one shot of the J&J for the official determination of what’s required or not. But I think if you look at the data, the more and more it becomes clear that if you want to be optimally protected you really should get a booster,” he told ABC News.
Updated
America's top infectious disease expert says Omicron has clear 'transmission advantage'
America’s top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, said that Omicron “clearly has a transmission advantage” over previous Covid strains as the new variant spread to at least half of US states.
President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser told ABC News that Omicron “appears to be able to evade some of the immune protection”. But in “encouraging news”, he said boosters raise protection high enough that it does “do well” against Omicron.
He said they are getting anecdotal information that the level of severity appears to be a bit less than it was for Delta, but that it might be due to underlying protection in community due to prior infections.
It comes as Omicron has spread to at least 25 states as the US approaches 800,000 Covid-related deaths.
“The somewhat encouraging news is that preliminary data show that when you get a booster…it raises the level of protection high enough that it then does do well against the omicron," Dr. Anthony Fauci tells @GStephanopoulos as variant spreads. https://t.co/dBGUxvhPre pic.twitter.com/DTdMAhYSQG
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) December 12, 2021
The British public has been advised to keep their social interactions to a minimum to avoid getting Covid and missing Christmas with their families.
Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser for the UK Health Security Agency, said people need to take individual responsibility to avoid transmission.
She told Times Radio:
We’ve spent two years, almost two years now living with this virus. We know how it transmits. It transmits when we’re with other people.
And therefore when we are coming up to a time where we will have engagements that we want to make, family that we want to see, then ensuring that we have less contacts before those is important so that we don’t transmit to others.
Asked whether it is advisable for people to avoid going out if they want to spend Christmas with family members, she said:
People know how transmission is prevented. I know how transmission is prevented. It’s prevented by reducing your social contacts.
But sometimes you need to see your friends and you need to see your work colleagues or you need to go to that Christmas party for your mental health and wellbeing.
If you’re going to do that, then take a lateral flow, go and get your vaccine, get boosted as soon as possible.
Those are actions that you can take. If you want to make sure that you are not going to get infected, then keep your contacts to a minimum.
Austria ends lockdown for vaccinated across most of country after three weeks
Austria has ended lockdown restrictions for vaccinated people across most of the country, three weeks after it was imposed.
Rules vary by region but generally the change means theatres, museums and other cultural and entertainment venues will be allowed to reopen today and shops will follow tomorrow.
Vaccinated contacts of people who test positive for Covid to take daily lateral flow tests for a week, says UK government
Vaccinated people who are identified as a contact of somebody who has tested positive for Covid-19 should take an NHS rapid lateral flow test every day for a week, the UK government announced today.
The new guidance, which starts on Tuesday, aims to identify asymptomatic cases among the vaccinated without forcing them to isolate. One in three people do not show symptoms, the department of health said.
They said anyone whose rapid test comes back positive or develops symptoms should self-isolate and take a PCR test to verify the result. If the PCR test comes back positive, they must self-isolate for 10 days. If it comes back negative, contacts can stop self-isolating but should continue to take rapid tests for the remainder of the seven days.
However, unvaccinated adults will not be eligible for the new daily testing policy. Instead they must self-isolate for 10 days if they are a contact of somebody who tests positive, unless they are eligible for existing workplace daily contact testing.
Sajid Javid, the health secretary, said:
The Omicron variant is quickly gaining ground in the UK and is expected to become the dominant strain by mid-December.
We are taking this proportionate and more practical measure to limit the impact on people’s day to day lives while helping to reduce the spread of Omicron.
Vaccines remain our best defence and I urge anyone yet to get a first and second jab to come forward and those eligible for a booster to get boosted as soon as possible.
Dr Jenny Harries, CEO of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said:
If you are identified as a contact of someone with Covid-19, taking a rapid daily test - and only needing to isolate if it is positive - will help reduce the spread of the virus and minimise its impact on our everyday lives over the coming weeks and months.
Rapid tests are freely available in pharmacies and online. Our latest analysis shows that boosters provide the best protection against the Omicron variant, please go forward when you are called. If you haven’t had any vaccine, a first and second dose still gives you protection against becoming seriously unwell. Don’t worry about stepping forwards now – you will be warmly welcomed by our vaccination staff and I would strongly advise you to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
New “plan b” Covid restrictions are expected to become law in England after Labour leader Keir Starmer confirmed that his party will be supporting Boris Johnson’s government in Tuesday’s vote.
But the prime minister could face the largest rebellion of his premiership, with more than 60 Conservative MPs expected to be against the new restrictions.
Among them is Matt Vickers, the Conservative MP for Stockton South, who today said he will be voting against the government.
Vickers, who is one of the 2019 intake representing a so-called former Labour “red wall” constituency, told Times Radio:
I do not believe we should be going down the plan b route. We talked about learning to live with it, we promised people they will get these boosters in their arms and the world will come back to normal, kids will be able to go to school properly without masks on, we promised them the economy would be free, we’d be free to get things going, and that’s exactly what we need to do.
Asked whether he would be voting for plan b measures, he said: “I am not, no. You’ve heard it here first.”
Asked how many might be joining him, he said: “I wouldn’t like to guess the number. In real terms, it is not a vote we’re probably likely to overturn the Government on anyway, so I think the numbers might be irrelevant - it is about people doing what they think is right.”
Starmer told the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show earlier today that he will vote with the government, but that he will do so in support of the NHS rather than the prime minister.
He said: “If you look at the science in relation to Omicron, the new variant, there is a real concern that we could be in a situation where the number of cases is doubling in a shorter period of two days. Now, I understand people say that that hasn’t led to higher hospitalisations and deaths yet, but the sheer volume of cases is very, very worrying.”
He added: “So, I’m not supporting the prime minister on Tuesday, I’m supporting our NHS, and I’m supporting the public in relation to this pandemic.”
Updated
NHS frontline doctors feel like 'Covid cannon fodder', finds study
NHS doctors working on the pandemic frontline are furious at being treated as “Covid cannon fodder” rather than heroes, according to new research.
In a first of its kind study, researchers from the universities of Bath and Bristol, UWE and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine collected the views of more than 1,300 doctors in the UK and Ireland since early 2020.
It found that doctors lacked the support they needed - including not having enough places to rest, food to eat or sufficient psychological support amid relentless shift patterns.
They said they were also frustrated at those not following public health advice and a lack of support from the government.
One senior doctor said:
I feel, at times, that I am considered totally expendable and that, if I die or become ill, not only will it have been preventable with political will, I will simply be an inconvenient statistic. I’m not a Covid hero, I’m Covid cannon fodder.
A junior doctor said:
Knowing the government was failing in so many ways to support us... failed Test and Trace, failed PPE procurement, weak messaging, permitted non-compliance with mask-wearing and distancing, set a poor example (Barnard Castle, etc).
We as healthcare providers were alone and utterly unsupported, apart from the weekly round of applause that was a pointless gesture and felt like a kick in the teeth.
Dr Jo Daniels, the study’s lead researcher and a clinical psychologist at the University of Bath, said some of the stories were “truly devastating”.
Last moments spent trying to set up an iPad in time for a young mother to say goodbye to her children; wrestling to intubate agitated patients; family members watching loved ones die remotely via video-link.
Added to this is the scale - the sheer number of frontline workers for whom these experiences have just become normalised - these results are truly shocking.
We are seeing increasing levels of staff attrition, absenteeism, poor psychological health, and loss of life, yet frontline doctors are expected to just carry on.
Here’s more on UK Omicron hospitalisations from science correspondent Hannah Devlin:
Official Covid cases in Russia surpass 10 million
Russia’s registered Covid cases passed the 10 million mark today, after nearly 30,000 cases were reported in the last 24 hours.
It comes as Russia recorded 29,929 new cases today - its lowest single-day case total since 13 October - bringing the official total since the start of the pandemic to 10,016,896.
The country also reported 1,132 deaths today, its lowest count since late October, reports Reuters.
Updated
UK prime minister Boris Johnson is facing the most testing week of his troubled premiership as a mounting Tory rebellion over new Covid-19 restrictions threatens his authority in parliament and a supposedly safe Conservative seat appears on a knife-edge ahead of a byelection on Thursday, writes the Observer’s political editor Toby Helm.
Prof Hayward (see also 11:20) also said that the UK’s hospital system is already “on its knees” and faces a “big problem” ahead.
It was put to Prof Hayward that people may think ministers feel they have to put extra restrictions in place “based on modelling and theories”.
He told LBC:
We’re talking about a hospital system that is already pretty much on its knees with the current level of activity, and that level of activity is going to go up dramatically and much worse than a normal winter.
So you know, there is going to be a big problem. The question is how much we’re prepared to do to stop that as a society.
Prof Andrew Hayward, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) from University College London, said Omicron is “much more infectious” than Delta and all previous Covid strains.
“Maybe somewhere between twice and possibly three times as infectious,” he told LBC. “What we can also see is that the vaccine, two doses of the vaccine, has relatively little impact on stopping that transmission.
“So putting those two together, and the fact that it’s already increasing, doubling every two or three days, what we can be pretty sure of is a very, very large wave of infections, bigger than the waves of infections that we’ve had before, so really the uncertainty is in how that’s going to translate into hospitalisations and deaths.”
Updated
UK facing 'inevitable' large wave of Covid infections, says government adviser
Dr Susan Hopkins, the chief medical adviser for the UK Health Security Agency has said that the UK is facing an “inevitable” large wave of infections caused by Omicron, with more Covid measures likely to be needed (see also 10am).
Hopkins confirmed that the UK has seen its first Omicron hospitalisations in recent days and that she expects those numbers to rise.
She told BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show:
We’re also seeing hospitals diagnose more and more people coming through their emergency departments, and we expect to see increases in that number. I have not had a report of death yet.
But it’s really important to remember it is just over two weeks since we first detected the cases in the United Kingdom, and that hospitalisations start to be seen in about two weeks and deaths usually at three to four weeks.
I think it’s too early to make any assumptions at this point in time.
She added:
It’s inevitable that we’re going to see a big wave of infections. What we are not yet clear on, and which is what we are basically making sure people go out and get their vaccination for, is how much that will affect hospitals.
In the UK, Conservative voters share their doubts about the prime minister in pro-Brexit Thanet. James Tapper reports:
Questioned about “mutinous MPs” and “disarray” in Downing Street at a G7 summit in Liverpool, UK foreign secretary Liz Truss said:
On the first subject, the cabinet secretary is conducting a thorough investigation of those events that took place. You will appreciate that my focus has been on the very serious issues that we face globally.
Namely, the specific issue that you raise of Russian aggression. And how that is countered.
She added:
In terms of this government, we have delivered Brexit.
We were one of the most successful vaccine rollouts. We’re rolling out a booster programme and we’re working to make sure we deliver for people across Britain.
Updated
ITV’s UK editor, Paul Brand, writes on Twitter:
Two years ago today, Boris Johnson won a landslide victory in the general election.
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) December 12, 2021
This morning the Conservative Party is talking of removing him as Prime Minister.
Astonishing how quickly events have moved.
Prof Barry Schoub, a Covid-19 adviser to the South African government, has advised against the UK “trivialising” Omicron’s impact and said it should be treated as seriously as Delta.
He told Sky News’ Trevor Phillips On Sunday programme: “I think we need to. I think we must avoid trivialising it. At this stage, we’re still gathering information.”
He added: “So at the moment, we do need to treat it as seriously as Delta, with all the kind of precautions that we took for Delta. We can’t let up on that at the moment.”
Nadhim Zahawi, the UK education secretary, also told the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show that “99%” of schools are open and that nativities should continue to take place.
When asked whether he could guarantee that schools would be open in January, he said: “I will do everything in my power”.
Nadhim Zahawi, the education secretary, has insisted the government is not introducing a “vaccine passport”.
He told the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show:
People talk about vaccine passports. This is not a vaccine passport. These are high-risk events where we ask people either to take a free lateral flow test or to be vaccinated to attend.
Asked whether people are coming forward in sufficient numbers for booster vaccines, he said:
We saw some queues yesterday at walk-in centres, and I have to say people on the whole have been behaving well.
We’ve had a couple of incidents that were in the East Midlands, one incident specifically where someone was very aggressive and that should not happen to anybody who is administering a life-saving vaccine, but we’ve seen some amazing examples. A school in east London vaccinating students and teachers and parents who have never had a vaccine.
Nadhim Zahawi, the UK education secretary and former vaccines minister, has again defended the prime minister’s alleged Christmas quiz (see also 8:58), saying there’s no rule against “recognising Christmas with tinsel or a hat”.
He told the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show that his inbox is full of people thinking Boris Johnson is having parties with guests, but that now the public can “make their mind up when they see this picture of the prime minister on a virtual screen, on a Zoom, thanking his team who are in the building because they have to respond to a national emergency.”
He said they were colleagues, there was no drink and that there is no rule against “recognising Christmas with tinsel or a hat”.
Government adviser warns UK has 'very difficult' decisions ahead and more restrictions could be needed
Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser for the UK Health Security Agency, has warned that “very difficult” decisions lie ahead for the government and that more Covid measures may be needed.
She told the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show:
I think that the restrictions that the government have announced are sensible. I think that we may need to go beyond them. But we’ll need to watch carefully what happens with hospitalisations.
She added:
The challenge we have and the challenge government has is trying to balance the risks and benefits to the society, to people, to the population, to the economy, and to health, and they have very difficult decisions ahead of them.
Restrictions that might have to come, she said, include reducing social contacts and reducing activities in social environments.
“People have their own decisions to make about their Christmas parties,” she added.
Starmer also pledged that there were no Labour Christmas parties last year. “We were following the rules,” he told the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show.
Keir Starmer accuses UK PM of breaking public trust and says he is 'unfit for office'
Labour leader Keir Starmer claims UK prime minister Boris Johnson is “unfit for office” and has breached public trust.
He told the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show that that the prime minister’s alleged actions have “broken” trust which will result in many people deciding to stop follow coronavirus rules.
He said:
He [Johnson] is a threat to public health...The critical question is ‘will the public follow the rules?’. And they have been following the rules, but now that trust is broken and many people are now saying ‘Well, if the prime minister is going to allow breaking of the rules, parties, quizzes going on in downing street when we’re being asked not to see our loved ones, well why should i follow the rules?’
He added:
There’s this basic question of trust and that is broken with the prime minister and that’s why he is unfit for office.
Updated
Labour leader Keir Starmer says Johnson quiz appears to have broken law
Labour leader Keir Starmer has said that UK prime minister Boris Johnson appeared to have broken the law with an alleged Christmas quiz and that he must have known there were other groups taking part in other rooms.
Asked on the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show whether he was breaking the rules, Starmer said:
Well it looks as though he was. And he must have known those other groups were in other rooms in his own building. And this is very important because he’s damaged his authority, he’s now so weak, his party’s so divided, he can’t deliver the leadership this country needs.
He added: “He’s the worst possible leader at the worst possible time.”
He declined to call on the prime minister to resign, but said: “We need to look at the allegation... but it is very very serious for the prime minister.” He added: “Trust in the prime minister is at an all time low.”
He said the new allegation is “very serious” because at the time the prime minister was asking people not to see their loved ones, which is why it’s created “such fury”.
He said it was “only Wednesday” that Boris Johnson “stood up in parliament and said he was furious that he’d just found out that there may have been breaches of the rules in Downing Street...now we learn this morning that three days earlier he was involved, he was leading a quiz in Downing Street which, if the reports are accurate, involved groups of people...involving themselves in a social event.
“And so he’ll be doubly serious now he finds out that he himself has been involved in something which may have breached the rules.”
Updated
Labour party leader Keir Starmer says his party will not be joining a threatened Conservative rebellion in Tuesday’s vote on Covid restrictions.
He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr show: “We’re not going to be tempted into playing party politics here”.
In the UK, Alison Phillips, editor of the Daily Mirror, which broke the Christmas quiz story, tells the BBC’s Andrew Marr show that their source told them that nobody was working at the quiz, “it was purely a social event”.
Phillips says it was “a Christmas quiz outside of the rules” and a part of a “culture of rulebreaking”.
Meanwhile, Conservative MP Dehenna Davison says her inbox has been “flooded” with people concerned about vaccine passports.
More from the UK:
On BBC, Andrew Marr opens his show to say that in 40 years of covering politics he does not remember newspapers being “this hostile” to a prime minister.
UK education secretary defends Johnson, insisting Christmas quiz was 'virtual'
Nadhim Zahawi, the UK education secretary and former vaccines minister, has defended allegations against Boris Johnson that he breached Covid rules to hold a Christmas quiz last year - insisting it was “virtual” and dismissing criticism about parties as “hype”.
Zahawi told Trevor Phillips on Sunday on Sky News that the picture shows a “prime minister on a virtual quiz night for 10-15 minutes to thank his staff” who he said had no choice but to come into work.
He said they the prime minister was “respecting the lockdown rules” and that the other people pictured in the quiz were in his office people who “work with him”.
“I think the nation will understand that [that it was virtual],” he said.
He said the investigation into Downing Street parties will investigate all allegations at that it will move “rapidly”.
Defending Johnson, he said he “works literally all works to make sure we get through this pandemic” and Zahawi said he is “confident” that the Conservatives will will win Thursday’s by-election in North Shropshire.
Updated
Nadhim Zahawi, the UK education secretary and former vaccines minister, has said that there are Omicron cases in hospital as he warned that the country is now in a “race” between the booster and the new variant.
Speaking on Sky News, he said the UK has “seen this movie before” with previous variants and warned that “very quickly” Omicron will be the UK’s dominant variant, with a third of infections in London are now Omicron.
Even if Omicron is less severe than previous variants, he said it is “highly infectious” and that if the UK gets to one million cases by the end of the month, three days later it will be two million.
He said it is going to be a “national endeavour” to get British people vaccinated with the third jab. “It’s now a race between the booster and that protection and the omicron variant,” he said.
UK prime minister accused of breaking Covid laws with festive quiz
The British prime minister is under further pressure today over Downing Street’s alleged Christmas celebrations after he was accused of breaking Covid laws by hosting a festive quiz last year.
Boris Johnson was pictured sitting underneath a portrait of Margaret Thatcher as he read out questions in No 10 on 15 December - when London was under tier 2 restrictions, and three days before an alleged Downing Street Christmas party under investigation - the Mirror reports.
The newspaper reports that many staff gathered around computers, discussed questions and drank alcohol from Tesco Metro, and that in one office there were four teams, each formed of six people.
Dozens of staff reportedly signed up to take part in the quiz online but at 6.30pm many decided to instead join from No 10.
Boris Johnson pictured hosting Number 10 Xmas quiz ‘in breach of Covid Laws’https://t.co/wkZh77S0Gv pic.twitter.com/BYg7NJXOk3
— Mirror Politics (@MirrorPolitics) December 11, 2021
At the time people in London were banned from any social mixing between households, while official guidance said: “You must not have a work Christmas lunch or party, where that is a primarily social activity and is not otherwise permitted by the rules in your tier.”
In response to the latest allegations, a No 10 spokesperson said: “This was a virtual quiz. Downing Street staff were often required to be in the office to work on the pandemic response so those who were in the office for work may have attended virtually from their desks.
“The prime minister briefly took part virtually in a quiz to thank staff for their hard work throughout the year.”
Johnson was pictured on screen, sitting underneath a portrait of Margaret Thatcher as he read out questions.
— Mirror Politics (@MirrorPolitics) December 11, 2021
A source said many staff huddled by computers, conferring on questions and knocking back fizz, wine and beer from a local Tesco Metro. pic.twitter.com/bjY3lJWBJV
I’ll be looking after the blog for the next few hours covering the latest UK and global Covid news. Please get in touch with any tips or suggestions: miranda.bryant@guardian.co.uk
